It's Just Troublesome
by FrogPuppet
Summary: Shikamaru accepts the job, he now has to guide and aid Temari for a week or so, this is going to be a pain. Or is it? TemaxShika and hints of others teen just incase
1. Chapter 1

**It's just Troublesome  
**(I don't own Naruto or any of the names)

It was morning. For many reasons, Shikamaru hated the morning.  
Morning meant he had to get up, get dressed, have the Hokage bellow at him for being late (again), and this particular morning she had a little something extra for him:  
to escort the Kazekage's older sister.

Shikamaru lent against the side of the Great Konoha Gate, gaze aimed up skywards.  
This changed, as he heard approaching footsteps, with a sigh, he looked his fate in the eye; her hands on hips, there stood the sand Jounin Temari, shooting him one of her 'troublesome looks'.  
"So what are you doing here, Nara?"  
"bah…Hokage-sama decided to assign me as your guide during your stay…just troublesome."  
"Oho really? Since when do I require a guide?"  
"Argh…just…come on."

With that he slunk of the wall, hands shoved in pockets, plodding off to the Hokage tower.

"HEY! Doesn't my 'guide' have to aid me?" asked Temari with a sly grin  
Shikamaru KNEW he was in for it.  
"I suppose…."  
"Then carry my luggage." After her abrupt statement Temari slung her heavy looking bag to the ground and seemed to have a slight spring to her step, almost skipping off to greet Tsunade.  
"errgh….this is sooooo troublesome."  
Shikamaru, taking his IQ of over 200 aside, knew this wasn't going to be a pleasant week. "_Dammit, she's more of a pain in the ass than Ino, but why did I take this mission? Ugh, this is going a BAD week."_

"Shikamaru where have you been!?"  
If she wasn't so old, Shikamaru could've sworn Godaime suffered from year long PMS. 

"Temari had to ask for directions to my office, why where you not there to guide her?  
**You** requested this mission, and I'm having my regrets about giving it to you."  
_"Oh damn, the old geezer's really done it this time, this is such a drag."  
_

"What was that? Trying to get even, crybaby? You still owe me buster!"  
"Argh!" Shikamaru put his hands on his head and cringed at the ceiling.  
Tsunade had her suspicions on the relationship of the two, as Temari stood smirking at Shikamaru, Tsunade couldn't help but catch the Nara's eyes quickly fly up and down the slender figure of Temari  
_"It seems, that Shikamaru has gotten to 'that' age…just as well, Jiraiya was at 11, so his late blooming may be a good thing" Tsunade_ grinned as she compiled documents to hand Temari.  
"Here are your instructions for the Exams you two, the orders contained will come into effect as of tomorrow, however, Shikamaru you are still Temari's guide for today."

For the first time since the botched Sasuke retrieval, Shikamaru honestly felt like crying. "Ooh, goody!" Piped up Temari, ever the sadist.

In the blink of an eye, she had picked up her bag and tossed it **hard** into Shikamaru's belly, and despite what ever cushioning the vest gave him, he still was carried by the bags inertia and landed with an 'oof' across the office.

Tsunade AND Temari sighed something about being a man.

With the oncoming storm about to erupt and try to drown Konoha, Temari was in a desperate situation, THERE WERE NO VANCANCIES. "This is so troublesome…come with me." Shikamaru had taken to dragging the large bag, it was slowly crippling him from carrying it.  
"Huh wait a min-"  
"Look, its going to rain, just stay at my place and try again tomorrow." Shikamaru just wanted to get out of the rain, which was gentle at the moment.  
Temari burst into laughter  
"A lazy crybaby like you actually decided to move out?"  
with a defeated sigh: "yes…"  
"Well, alright, but you still owe me. Don't you even DARE think about any 'monkey business' buddy, I hope your guest room's bed is nice, wouldn't want you crying and moaning about being cold or what ever."  
"I don't have a guest room."  
"What did you say?"  
"I don't have a guest room, troublesome woman."  
With a grin: "Then I hope your couch is comfortable!"  
Shikamaru let out a sigh, Kami really must hate his guts lately, perhaps Tsunade and Kami where in cahoots to ruin his day… 

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU HAVE ONE BLANKET!?" She would not leave him alone about this for the next half an hour.  
After being beaten in 6 out of 7 Shogi games, and having Shikamaru interrupt her shower, Temari wasn't in the best of moods to begin with.  
"Bah…just go to sleep or what ever yawn I'm too tired."  
With that Shikamaru popped off his hair tie, and gravity yanked his hair back down.  
Temari was astonished, he seemed a lot different with his hair down, she never realized how long it was, or how…rugged he looked.  
With Shikamaru's now curled up form at one side of the bed, Temari sighed and slipped in her side, only letting HER hair-do down in the dark.

**Well, its probably crap for a first go, but what the hey, gotta start somewhere huh?  
BTW, I KNOW he probably still lives with his folks in the real Naruto, but in my story his apartment smells of plot device.** Review? Im kinda not sure where to go with this, so ideas are good.  
Flame me, and Chewbacca won't play chess with you.


	2. Chapter 2

Shikamaru could've sworn the previous day was a nasty dream; he smiled and lay back again, only to notice Temari's hand in front of his face.

He could've sworn his heart stopped for a second, he went WHITE, and gave a submissive sigh.  
Unfortunately for him, this awoke Temari, who screeched like a flaming banshee, smacked him in the face and for the rest of the day insisted one of his hands was nestled on her breasts.

After a soothing hot shower, and popping on his uniform, Shikamaru trotted into his kitchen to be met with one of the most horrifying sites known to mankind:  
Temari trying to cook.

He was glad he didn't have smoke-detectors after all, and he also had no idea toast could get that black…

"Umm…do you want help or anything with that?"  
he asked as Temari was battling with the bacon, an evil look on her face and the bacon hissed and popped angrily at her.  
_"Damn, she'd make a fine wife, even if she is a little loud." _ Shikamaru was **shocked **at such a thought rushing through his mind  
She glanced over her shoulder, and the face that made Kankuro's tears tuck him into bed some nights, morphed into something COMPLETELY foreign on Temari's face:  
a peachy, genuine grin 

"Oh you're awake, lazybones, your kitchen is a HOLE, and it took me 5 god damn minutes to find the frying pan!! You better eat every single morsel of this, after all the hard work I put into it."  
With a yawn he replied "aha…so troublesome."  
She **dumped **a plate of what looked like the first 20 minutes of Saving Private Ryan in front of him.  
"Eat up, crybaby!" she cheerfully said as she began to shovel the ashesof what used to be bacon and eggs into her mouth.  
_"gah…you gotta be kidding me, this is so troublesome, and why is she so sunny today?"  
_With a cocked eyebrow Shikamaru began to slowly, and cautious eat his breakfast._  
"Damn, because Gaara always wants to cook I suck at it, I wonder how he manages to do it being Kazekage aswell and all, and why does it always look like that Naruto kid? Ooh, Shika-kun is eatng."  
_Shikamaru inspected…what ever was, and with a sigh ate it; at least it still tasted like bacon and eggs.

Sort of…

Temari was dragging Shimaru around all day, demanding he be chivalrous and start paying off his debt by buying her lunch, and she had was making a beeline for Ichiraku's Ramen stall  
_"Argh, at least Naruto isn't here, his shouting always gives me headaches, this walking is sooo troublesome, what a drag…"_

"I hope he likes this place, last time I was here he seemed to be in there a lot, with some fat guy, and that blonde kid."

Shikamaru was relieved that sand-witch chose Ichiraku, this wasn't going to clean him out after all.  
"Hmm, I'll have…a Tonkatsu ramen please." Temari's smile rivaled Gai's infact If he were around (thank god he's off running or something) he'd probably bust into the stall and start rapping about youth or hard work or something.

"Miso Pork please." Shikamaru said flatly.  
When Ayame smiled at trundled over to give her father the order, Shikamaru had an epiphany:  
_"Oh my god, is that troublesome woman doing this for me? arrrrrgh, this is so troublesome, first I have weird dreams with her in them, and now I cant help but smile back, I hope this week ends soon."_

After the Ramen and an afternoon of bossing Shikmaru around, they retired to Shikamaru's home.  
"Hey, what happened to the hotel, don't tell me your staying here..."  
"Yup! So get used to it crybaby!" With that she turned around on the couch and laid out, with her head resting on his leg, he tried to ignore it and focus on the televison she made him buy; Konoha had some…quirky game shows.

Temari noticed the extreme distress she was causing Shikamaru, and after all the boys in Suna she had 'dated' (this was normally Temari attacking an innocent guy on the street, offering him to buy her dinner or castration), she knew this was a good sign, after all, It was personal:  
he was the only one to ever beat her, he didn't actually win the fight, and spouted crap about not being able to, but Temari knew he just couldn't be bothered anymore, and would have very well won if they continued.

And she didn't like that. But then, with this pine-apple headed kid, it wasn't so bad…

Temari announced she was going to bed.  
Shikamaru grunted.

With a growl she hauled him off the small coach by one arm, nearly pulling it off.  
"Argh, you troublesome woman, tuck yourself in!"  
_"What was that? A joke? From Nara?" _she thought with a happy kind of surprise.

"This village is too cold, you make the bed warm."  
"Ah, but the desert reaches freezing temperatures at night…"  
_"Dammit!"_

"Ah…ehehe…Gaara likes the heating up high."

"Hnn." 

And so that was day 2, 6 more to go.  
Shikamaru wished she'd go home; her being here was doing strange things to him… 

**Well, that's chapter DONE**

**New policy: each time a chapter gets a review I'll pop the next one up pretty much same day, I HATE slow updaters.  
and so does my frog puppet.**

(Im trying to keep em in character, lemme know how much im sucking at it okay?)


	3. Chapter 3

Shikamaru made an effort to arise first that morning and set to work, attempting to emulate his mother's award winning pancakes, as he and his father were the only two others aware of the recipe.  
_"That troublesome woman, I be she did that on purpose, she's not going to feed me charcoal again."  
_Temari, with a yawn strutted into the kitchen, intrigued by the cooking noises she was hearing, she was met with a frantic Shikamaru, in a frilly apron that must've belonged to his mother.

The roar of laughter made Shikamaru whirl around in alarm, he would have stood there with an irritated expression for a little while longer, but he didn't want his pancakes to burn.  
He laid out the stack of red colored pancakes and when Temari was about to ask for syrup he said:  
"Argh, just eat them, they don't need syrup."  
"Oh and why is that Professor Breakfast?" Temari asked with a smirk.  
"They're savory, the syrup would ruin them."  
"Oh." Temari was generally impressed.  
_"Wow, a guy that can cook! What a catch! And he's a handsome little wuss bag too!"  
_Temari timidly took a bite of the red thing on her plate  
Shikamaru watched intensely, he was out to impress today.

She slowly put the piece of pancake in her mouth, chewed slowly…  
"WOW!!! THIS IS SO GOOD SHIKA-KUN!"  
Shikamaru didn't notice the suffix at first, and all of a sudden he fell out of his chair whilst Temari was ravaging her breakfast.  
Shikamaru picked himself up and ate his breakfast in a stunned silence, Temari realized her mistake but she was far too happy chowing down on her abstract breakfast.

After a large meeting with dozens of ninja from the villages that would be participating in the Chunin exam, Temari joined team 10 for lunch, well, invited herself.  
After the lunch at their favorite Mongolian BBQ place, Chouji had to leave for clan training, and Ino dragged Temari away to go shopping with the girls.  
When she left Shikamaru slumped deeply into the booth's seat.  
Asuma cocked an eyebrow knowingly, looked around for any nearby waitresses, and light up, savoring the first drag.

"Girl troubles huh?"  
"No."  
"Come on Shikamaru, I've been your sensei for a few years, did the Suna Kunoichi reject you?"  
With his signature sigh; " no…"  
"So you can't tell her how you feel?"  
"….yeah."  
Asuma's face slid into a knowing grin  
"Well, you know me and Kurenai?"  
"Ugh…what about her?"  
"Heh heh, it may shock you to find out she was alot like Temari when we younger, well maybe not as violent but still."  
"No way, theres no one alive like that troublesome woman."  
"Believe it buddy, we'd sneak out at night and meet in the park."  
"How troublesome."  
Asuma chuckled as he took a puff on his cigarette, making a happy noise when blowing out the smoke.  
"Well, if you like Shika, tell her now, as an adult I can tell you, its better to regret things you have done, than to regret something you haven't done. Women are a lot like Shogi, you need to think ahead, have a plan, don't just rush into it."

"yeah what ever…"  
"Do what you want, but me and Kurenai are still together, and that was the genin days –KOFF KOFF KOFF! ARRRGHHH CAK KOFF KOFF HOUGH!!!" As Shikamaru went to leave Asuma nearly coughed up a lung, and the dreaded waitress spotted the tendrils of smoke sneaking out from the booth, and she was promptly beating Asuma with a shoe, they seem to hurt more when you're slapped with one…

Shikmaru had spent the past few hours, laid out on his hill, gazing at the passing clouds.

Unfortunately for him Temari found him.  
"OI! Been hiding have we, Nara? We'll, you have to take me out to dinner today! The girls were having a sleep over, pff as if I'd want to go to that..."  
Shikamaru grumbled and sat up, and mumbled something.  
"What was that about me, fatty?"  
"Nothing… what do you want now?"  
Temari laid out like Shikamaru was moments before.

"Why you do this so much?"  
"Just do it for yourself, you'll see soon."  
"Aha…" Temari's voice was pure sarcasm.

Ino and Chouji were walking through the same area, and were oddly enough, holding hands.

"Ooh JEEZ!"  
Ino yanked Chouji into the bush  
"Bwah! What the hell Ino!?"  
"Look over there." Ino quietly said while pointing at the hill's summit where Temari and Shikamaru were strangely closer together than before.  
With a chuckle Chouji said; "About time, Shikamaru must've realized he's too lazy for his own good sometimes."  
"What do you mean?"  
"He's had eyes for that Temari girl for ages…since the…the 'mission'."  
"Oh, because she saved him?" Ino was burning this information into her brain to gossip with Sakura, Ten Ten and Hinata this evening.

"Yeah, but I only know because I over heard him whisper when she left with her brothers last time they were here for the alliance treaty."  
"What did Shika say?"  
"Whilst they were leaving he mumbled something about her coming back soon, and how troublesome she is."  
"That's something he'd say…so THAT'S why me and Sakura can't tease him so much anymore…come to think of it she's been down lately too."

They watched in secret as Shikamaru and Temari inevitably got closer and closer until Shikamaru asked:  
"How about that dinner?"  
"Mmm…" Temari looked down trodden.

Shikamaru looked confused.  
"What's the matter? You haven't hit me or shouted for a while."  
"Shikamaru, do you hate me?"  
"Umm…"  
"Do you? I'm always abusing you and stuff…most guys would have run away by now."  
"_Damn, now or never, eugh I feel so sick, this is so troublesome, and why do us men always have to do this stuff…"  
_"Do you hate me?" She was a little surprised at **his **query and she responded;  
"No! Of course not!"   
How the tables have turned…

With a grin he asked: "So you 'like' me?"  
BAMN! Asuma's advice was always golden, just like shogi after all.  
"Ye-WHAT!?"  
Shikamaru was wearing his 'I Win' smirk

"YOU BASTARD NARA!"  
Temari attempted to tackle Shikamaru and punch his lights out, but again, she walked into that one too, damn he was too clever sometimes.  
Although the jump was short, Shikamaru still manipulated her momentum and swung her over him and said:  
"I do too."  
Temari's big eyes went wide, and she went as red as Shikamaru was, who by now had moved away and was picking up her shopping for her.

She moved silently up behind him and how ever uncharacteristic of the kunoichi it was, she stood shyly behind him.  
"Well, let's go…"

So they plodded off together towards the village.

After dropping her shopping off at his place and dressing up a little, (Temari wore the new black Kimono with a red sash she bought that day, from the glances she was getting from Shikamaru, it looked good.)  
Shikamaru simply washed his hands and face, and put a new pair of pants of, these one were slightly longer, and more expensive looking, less rugged.

They set out, deciding to check out a place Shikamaru hadn't been into before, little did he know Ino's gang had spotted the couple and followed them in.

They sat down, ordered, and talked quietly about nothing in particular.

"SHIKA-MARUUU!" Ino piped up from across the noodle bar.  
Shikamaru dead panned, sweat dropped, sighed and asked her what she was doing here, that troublesome Ino.  
"Oh nothing in particular…" TenTen answered.  
Temari knew what they were doing, while initially jealous of Ino getting his attention, she saw what Ino's game was, after all wasn't she dating that ripped kid in the red and armour?

"HOOK IN TEMARI!" Sakura had obviously ordered sake already, what can you expect? Being exposed to Tsunade's alcoholism all the time, it was BOUND to have negative effects on the girl.  
So they ate whilst the group of girls a table or 2 over was teasing them the whole time,  
troublesome.

After they finished the girls returned to Ino's, thanks to Sakura being the Hokage's apprentice, they managed to score some booze, no questions asked.

They were about to part ways when Ino and Hinata waltzed up to the pair and shoved some small square wrappers in their hands  
Hinata quietly apologized while Ino declared it was 'Better to take responsibility for five minutes now than 18 years in nine months time!'

They quietly watched television, Temari stole Shikamaru's bed covers to keep warm, and snuggled in close to him under said bed covers on the couch.  
"I'm having a bath."  
"Wow."  
"Your coming."  
Shikamaru sweat dropped.  
"Arrr…."  
"Come on! Oh you PERVERT! We'll still be in our underwear, watch those hands Crybaby, I WILL break them if I find them where they aren't supposed to be."  
"Ugh, what ever…you're so troublesome."  
"And you love it!"  
Shikamaru just sighed.

The Bubbles were high, the bath hot.  
Temari slipped out of her kimono and plopped gracefully into the bath.  
Shikamaru, wasn't so skilled, and slipped and fell over in the bath, almost drowning Temari with a directed wave at her face.  
"Sor-" was all he could say before the fist impacted with his face.  
After a few awkward moments Temari began the small talk…  
She was finding that Shikamaru made excellent conversation, when he wanted to. You had to initiate to get anywhere with him. Her mind turned to the condoms Ino gave them, now residing in the bin.  
_"I'll keep that in mind." _ Shikamaru's bath was oddly large for the small apartment he lived in, obviously designed for a couple. As Temari slid deeper into the waters, so her neck was submerged, her feet and legs brushed Shikamaru, he gave a small, startled reaction, like when you wake up a sleeping cat.  
Temari grinned, almost seductively at him.  
"What's wrong wimp? Nervous?"

Shikmaru rolled his eyes and slumped lower into the bath like Temari had.  
The combination of warm water and the deeply satisfied, ridiculously content feeling actually coming into physical contact with temari gave him, sent him to sleep.  
He awoke to Temari gently shaking his shoulder telling him to get out of the bath and go to bed.  
With a sigh he heaved himself out of the waters, gave Temari a look that said 'you need to leave'. Which she did, he changed into a new pair of boxer shorts and shirt Temari left, and joined her in his bed.  
_"I need to pay Asuma-Sensei back for the advice…I'll let him win at shogi or something."  
_He rolled over to face Temari, and found she was already asleep, and rolled over closer to him in her sleep.  
With a small smile at how cute she looked asleep, he gently left his hand face down on her rising and falling tummy, lying on his side, with a faint smile, he fell asleep.  
Temari was smiling too.

**Well! That took me AGES but I finally did it! Oo, it kinda got real fluffy at the end huh? Oh well…  
I have no idea whats gonna happen next chapter…ideas: ) Please:D  
(oo its pretty long this time too! Is this good? Or are they better short?)**

**P.S: I didn't really proof read it sorry…  
**


	4. Chapter 4

Shikamaru awoke warm, happy and looking forward to the day.  
It amazed him that even though he defeated Asuma in countless games of shogi, Asuma's wisdom was incredibly greater than Shikamaru's.

He wiggled closer to Temari, so his arm was in a more comfortable spot on her stomach.  
She inhaled, mumbled something about going faster, and not stopping, and then exhaled.  
She awoke 10 minutes later, but only let him know 20 minutes later.  
They exchanged good mornings, and Shikamaru became lost in her big, turquoise eyes.

After an hour of quiet chat they got up, Shikamaru had never been so embarrassed in his life, but Temari WOULD NOT leave the bathroom as he tried to shower.  
"Will you get out? You troublesome woman."  
"Ha-ha! No way Crybaby! Strip, Nara-kun."  
Shikamaru was **mortified **she was making him be nudey in front of her.  
"_Ugh! I'd rather take on that flute-toting, sweary sound-girl again, this is so troublesome! Just get out already!"  
_"Hurry up! A good showman never keeps the crowd waiting!" declared Temari with a giggle, sitting on the floor across from the shower with a sly grin plastered on her face.

Shikamaru was bright red as he stood there in his boxer shorts.  
All of a sudden Temari launched forward and yanked them down; Shikamaru made a sound like a cat being stood on, and swung around and leapt into the shower, slamming the frosted glass door behind him.  
Temari cackled like the sand witch she was, rolling around his bathroom floor, roaring with laughter.

Shikamaru stood under the water, sighed, and became scrubbing his back with his trusty shower brush.  
He heard the shower door open, he looked over and Temari was stark nekkid, trying to get in, Shikamaru stopped brushing, his eyes went **wide **and an eruption of blood cascaded from his nose, he turned around to face the wall, and went into a sitting fetal-postion, and tried to usher her out with timid pokes of his brush  
"Gah! You troublesome woman! What are you doing? Get out!"  
"Pff, I'm having a shower, gimme that brush, stop being a baby and STAND UP, your wasting water."  
So Shikamaru refused to admit to himself he enjoyed his shower with Temari, but deep down it he acknowledged it was probably the best one yet.  
They scrubbed each others backs, and the like.  
Temari left first, when Shikamaru heard her leave the bathroom, so he exited the shower himself, he always brings his change of clothes into the bathroom so he got dressed in there.

Breakfast was a joint campaign of omelets, Temari preparing the ingredients, and Shikamaru cooking them, it was just plain safer this way.

After 'brunch', they hit the town, as there wasn't any business until the next day.  
After trawling through the shopping district they had dango for lunch, they decided to take a rest in the park.

"Temari?" Shikamaru asked in a low voice  
"Hmm?" she asked absent-mindedly, looking at the clouds, it seemed she DID get into it after trying it.

"Why did you think I hated you?"  
"Oh, that…" She suddenly became very down trodden.

Shikamaru sat their patiently, not wanting to push her into answering.

"I guess, because, I'm often a little to…teasing with guys."  
"By 'teasing you mean violent, loud, nagging, and a pain in the ass?"  
WHAM, CRUNCH Shikamaru saw it coming, and tried to dodge, that earned him 'two for flinching'.

"Argh, that hurt you troublesome woman."  
"Well you deserved it!"  
"Do you act like that because you are afraid?"  
"Pfff, of what, Captain Feminine-Side?"  
"That you'll be all alone?"  
This struck Temari dead center, since her mother died giving birth to Gaara, and her father, Yondaime Kazekage was neglectful and obsessed with the village's return to grace, she only had Kankuro, as she couldn't approach Gaara with out a death threat back in those days. She'd often beat on Kankuro or shout at him. Shikamaru expected this was because she was never shown how to express those kinds of feeling to others.

"_I bet she never got that troublesome talk about 'the birds and the bees', to think Dad and Mum actually did THAT…" _Shikamaru gave a little cringe of horror and turned back to Temari.  
"I haven't run away, and neither has Kankuro."  
Temari went from looking at the ground in a deep melancholy to staring at Shikamaru wide eyed, whilst he'd gone back to gazing at the sky again.

Unfortunately Shikamaru's Mother came along.  
Shikamaru's heart skipped a beat, Between Temari and Yoshino (his mother) they'd have him dead of heart failure in a few years.  
_"Agh…this is going to be a bother, the two most troublesome women on the planet at the same time…"_

"Hello Shika, who's your friend there?"  
"Temari."  
"INTRODUCE US PROPERLY LAZY BONES!" Roared Temari, she bashed him in the back of the head for further emphasis.

"_Now THERES a woman who makes sure she's treated properly! Shika always had such fine tastes in girls!" _His mother reflected on the two.  
"Ugh, Temari, this is my mother, Nara Yoshino. Mother, this is Temari of Sunagakure No Sato."  
"Ooh, your girlfriend Shika?" She asked innocently.  
"Ergh…noo mum. Your so troublesome sometimes."  
Temari stood back and watched Yoshino ruthlessly interrogate her son for further information.  
"Well, Yoshino-san, why not have Shika-kun and myself over for dinner tonight?"  
Temari was giving Yoshino the sweetest smile she could muster.  
"OF COURSE! I'll have Shikaku (Shikamaru's father) get some things at the shop, be over by 8, Shikamaru, NO LATER."  
(his deep, defeated sigh) "Sure…"

"Don't you roll your eyes at me, young man!"  
Shikamaru loudly exhaled as his mother scuttled off, happily muttering that her 'little Shika has finally grown up!' and 'his dad is going to be so proud!'

Shikamaru and Temari strolled through the streets of Konoha, all the buildings lit up with inner lights and neon signs.  
Shikamaru had his usual outfit on, and Temari had bought more of the black outfit she purchased the other day, so she wore that.  
They knocked on the door, Shikamaru gave his usual expression of discontent, and Temari linked her arm in is and met his mother with a sunny smile.  
"GREETINGS YOSHINO-SAAAN!" boomed Temari  
Yoshino looked at her son, calmly expecting a greeting.

"…."

Temari got annoyed and elbowed him in the ribs, non too gently either.  
"Hi mum…" He ended with a deep exhale of pain.  
Temari recovered her cheery expression.  
_"Meeting Shika-kun's parents! I wonder what his dad looks like…"  
_She could see a slight resemblance of him in his mother, so she deduced he'd look like his father more.

After removing their shoes and donning their house slippers, they entered the one of many impressive Nara households.  
Yoshino led them through to a sitting area, with a roaring fireplace at one end, the room wasn't huge, but was lavish, it wasn't overcrowded with signs of wealth, but it still looked classy.

Temari kept looking from Shikamaru to Shikaku, back and forth again, and again in shock.  
_"WHAT? Is THAT his father? No way! They're almost identical except for the scars his father has! Shikamaru has a very handsome future…" _ Temari couldn't help but smirk at this thought.  
Shikaku approached them with a small grin.  
"Hello….Temoora was it?"  
"It's TEMARI." She said gruffly, and then sweetly added "Nara-san."  
"Ah, my mistake…name's Shikaku, none of that troublesome Nara stuff okay?"  
"Sure!"  
_"Oh jeez, he's like Shika-kun in more ways than one…troublesome." _Temari thought with slight discomfort, was it he the influence on Shikamaru or Shikamaru the influence on him? Temari didn't know.

The Nara family, although one of the elder clans of the village, they were very humble, most of them living on the outskirts of the village where the clan deer could be bred and look after better, there was more open spaces and food for the deer there, whereas Shikamaru's immediate family lived closer to the city center.

After telling his parents about herself, Temari lent back wore an amused grin whilst Yoshino berated Shikamaru and his father to cook dinner faster, informing them that she had done most of it already, and they should stop whining and just get on with it, and when Shikamaru casually walked in the room again Temari asked:  
"Are you finished? I'm starving."  
"Um, not quite bu-"  
"GET IN THERE AND FINISH COOKING IT THEN!" his mother and Temari **told** him, in unison (scary).  
"Urgh…troublesome women, both of you." He muttered, shuffling back in the kitchen defeated, his escape attempt was foiled.

"That boy…just like his father, no matter how hard I try they just don't listen, I don't ask much, I just want them to cook for once, sure, Shikaku helps around the house, but Shikamaru has always tried to get out of it, although he's a good boy, his room is neat and he's always tidey, he's polite and very kind, Chouji and him have been the best of friends for years (she thought to the drawing Shikamaru did many years ago, depicting himself and Chouji) he's just too damn lazy!"  
Temari, knowing Shikamaru's side of things, began to see what kind of person his mother was; Strict, but loving, the strict side was for Shikamaru's own good, she just wanted him to grow up to be a good person, and in Temari's opinion, besides the constant complaining he was as he mother brought him up to be.  
Temari really got on well with Yoshino.

Their dinner was highly tasty; Shikamaru shared his culinary skills with his mother and father, probably from the long line of chemists the Nara clan made up, with their often famous remedies and antidotes.

After dinner Shikamaru played against his father in Shogi, after they were done Temari and Shikamaru left.  
After the brisk walk through the chilly night air, they arrived at Shikamaru's apartment.  
They seemed to make watching television a ritual in the evenings, Shikamaru enjoyed it, as it relaxed him so he'd fall asleep faster.  
Whilst brushing his teeth, Shikamaru noticed an odd, cylinder shaped thing in Temari's wash bag.  
"Temari-chan…."  
"Yes Shika-kun?"  
"What's that exactly for?"  
"OH!"  
she went bright red and tried to hide the silver object but in her panic it fell out of the bag and bounced onto the bathroom floor.  
"…." Shikamaru was stunned into silence. Temari had some kind of Torture Device in her wash bag, from the menacing buzzing it made whilst vibrating at a very high rate, it sounded dangerous.

He watched it dancing on the bathroom floor while a beet-red Temari tried to snatch it up.

"Why do you have some kind of interrogation device in your bag?"  
"Umm…yea it's an interrogation device ahaha….never know when one of those will come in handy!"  
_"Phew, Shika-kun has never seen a vibrator before? Wow, what is that Ino chick, a nun or something? He's never heard of 'toys'…good god…"_

"hmm..what ever, you troublesome woman." He spat out the tooth paste and washed his tooth brush.  
"I really liked your parents Shika-kun, we have to do that again sometime!"  
"Mmmm…..no. it was troublesome."  
Temari just rolled her eyes and followed him to the bedroom.  
She liked sharing a bed with Shikamaru, he was so gentle and warm, and she wondered how she ever slept alone in her bed beforehand.

After the covers had been thrown over them, they snuggled in together, and said goodnight.  
Shikamaru fell asleep after Temari, as usual.  
He had a strange dream about fish shaped biscuits eating Konoha. 

**Man, these are getting a little trickier each time to come up with plot ideas…  
Im really scraping the bottom of the barrel here guys, I have an idea for the next chapter, I have no idea after that…  
(Halfway mark! Yay!)**

**Im too lazy to proof read sorry  
(oh by the way I don't actually own Naruto or any of the names, but we're having a chat about it and I might be getting stocks soon!)  
(that was a joke)  
(I really don't want to be sued or something)  
(pff like it'd happen…)  
(would it??)  
**


	5. Chapter 5

It was Temari who awoke first, but she rolled over, and cuddled closer to the tall, warm Shikamaru.

Cuddling face to face with a sleeping Shikamaru for half an hour was Temari's idea of a good morning, but she'd have to be careful, she didn't like anybody seeing her soft side.  
But with Shikamaru it wasn't so bad; Temari figured he didn't like displaying his tender side either, she figured he might have got this from his mother.  
Shikamaru's eyes slid open and his mouth popped into a small grin.  
He casually kissed Temari which took her by complete surprise. It never played out in her mind that her first kiss would be in Shikamaru's bed, cuddling him. For some reason she always pictured it in the rain.

It took her completely by surprise because Shikamaru was often shy about displays of his affection for her, and yet he so casually initiated their first kiss (Temari hadn't actually kissed anybody on the LIPS yet).

He swung his legs out of the bed, scratched his head, yawned and announced he was having a bath.  
_"Gee don't be __**too**__ direct there Nara." _Temari thought with a slight grin.

After a hot relaxing bath together (Temari insisted on NOT wearing under wear, much to Shikamaru's discomfort and embarrassment) He made a simple breakfast of rice, grilled fish and miso soup.  
Temari bullied Shikamaru into playing Go, although he liked Go (even if he preferred shogi) Playing with Temari was different. Normally his father or Asuma didn't show any emotion and played to win. Temari how ever bellowed when Shikamaru subtly encircled a large bulk of Temari's pieces, and muttered insults at him the whole game.  
_"She really doesn't like losing…man she's so troublesome!" _he thought as Temari did a little dance in celebration for managing to take a large portion of Shikamaru's pieces.

In the end he let her win for her the sake of her happiness; he let her win by a tiny amount, so she wouldn't conclude he did it on purpose.

"Yay! I won!! When do I get my prize, Crybaby?"  
"Huh? What prize?"  
"This one!" She announced with a victorious grin, she slid her arms around his neck and kissed him.  
Shikamaru was **shocked** to find Temari's tongue in his mouth, even more so when he realized his tongue was in her mouth.

They both ended it simultaneously; they were both a slight shade of blue from lack of oxygen.

After a lunch of tonkatsu (it seemed it was Temari's favorite), they sat lazily in the shop, drinking tea.  
_"Hmm, I think we'll eat in tonight, I hope she doesn't mind tonkatsu for dinner, mother had a recipe for that she left me somewhere…"_

After a short while of tea drinking and idle chatter, Shikamaru and Temari departed the small restaurant for Tsunade's office.  
They heard discussion in side, and as Shikamaru knocked, they let go of each others hand.  
He knocked.  
'Come in."  
Shikamaru and Temari entered side by side to find Sakura, looking happy for once in ages, and some guy in black and orange.

"Hey!" Shikamaru greeted Sakura.  
Sakura looked like a small child with a new toy.  
"Shikamaru, Temari-san, look!"  
She pointed to the orange and black clad blonde.  
_"Hmm, he looks familiar..." _Temari thought.

"Who do you think this is?" She really was all excited about something.

"_What is Sakura all worked up about?"_ Shikamaru thought staring intently at the blonde.  
"Naru…to? Hey! If it isn't Naruto!"  
Naruto returned Shikamaru's look of pleasant surprise.  
"Shikamaru!"  
_"This is __**that**__ shrimp?" Temari thought in disbelief at how much he had grown._

"So you came back!" Shikamaru said as Naruto approached.  
"Yeah, I just got back this morning."  
Shikamaru gave a small chuckle; "You don't look like such an idiot anymore, or….how do I put it? You've changed!"  
Naruto flashed his trade mark grin and had a slight giggle.  
"No, he hasn't changed at all." Sakura said waving a hand to dismiss Shikamaru's earlier assumptions.  
"Ah…just as I thought." Shikamaru said defeated.  
"Sakura-chan…" Naruto hadn't changed at all…he still whined a lot.

Sakura wasn't paying attention to Naruto's talks of who he was to compete against.  
_"Don't you ever change Uzumaki, we all love you just the way you are. Tsunade-domo, Kakashi-sensei, Jiraiya-sama, Shizune-sempai, Even Sasuke. Most of all me."_

Sakura snapped out of her day dream when Tsunade loudly exclaimed  
"He's out there!" Whilst pointing at the window.

Naruto walked to the window, opened it, look, gasped and a voice said;  
"You've gotten big, Naruto."

The man looked up from his book and greeted with a single raised arm.  
"Yo!"  
Naruto was simply tickled at the sight of his old teacher.  
"Kakashi-sensei! You haven't changed at all!"  
Out on the roof, Naruto suddenly remembered something:  
"Ah, that's right! Looky Looky!" he said molesting his shuriken pouch.  
He withdrew a small green book.  
"Kakashi-sensei! I have a present for you!"

Sakura was warmly watching the two.  
"Hmm?" Kakashi was interested.  
Tsunade walked up to Sakura. "This is a nostalgic sight, isn't it?"  
"Yeah." Agreed Sakura.

"WHAT!!?" Kakashi was shocked.

"Y-You..Th-Th-This is…" Kakashi's eyes bulged out of his head at the shiny new Make-out Tactics that Naruto had.

Naruto and Kakashi were going on about the book, Shikamaru turned to Temari and said;  
"Sakura really missed Naruto."  
"Yeah…wow that little wuss-bag has gotten big."  
"Heh, yeah. Naruto was always good at surprises. Do you ah…would you mind Tonkatsu for dinner?"

"I would LOVE TONKATSU FOR DINNER! Are you going to cook for me, crybaby?"  
"Ugh…"

So it turned out Naruto and Sakura were to fight Kakashi again, Shikamaru collected the documents Temari was to read over, and left with Naruto and Sakura (Sakura seemed to be glowing in the presence of Naruto).

As they walked Naruto and Sakura chatted, it was fairly obvious to the other couple they missed each other more than 'friends' would.

Naruto and Sakura were complaining about their sensei's habits when all of a sudden Naruto was in Shikamaru's face:  
"So, are you two on a date?"  
"Ugh, it isn't like **that.**" Shikamaru dismissed.

"Huh! Quite joking! Why would I go out on a date with somebody like HIM?"

Naruto didn't seem to buy it.  
"The Chunin Exams are soon." Temari informed him. "I've been bouncing from Suna to Konoha as I assist in the preparations."

"And," Shikamaru added "It's a pain, but once I started working on the exams I was told I had to be the Suna Ambassador's guide."  
Naruto's expression suddenly flipped into a mature, stern look.  
"The Chunin Exams…sounds nostalgic."

Naruto was a little shocked that he was the only genin left in the group, even more so when he found out Gaara was Kazekage.

The meeting in Suna  
"arghCHOO." Gaara rubbed his nose with his hankee.  
"Are you well Kazekage-sama?" Baki enquired.

"Yes."  
Their attention returned to the bitching and complaining Suna council.

"So what's with those two?" Temari wanted the goss on Naruto and Sakura.  
"Huh?"

"Sakura was practically glowing because of the shrimp."

"Heh, yeah. Naruto's patience is finally paying off." Shikamaru gave a grin for the 'good old academy days'.

"Explain wiener."

"Ugh…ever since we were in the academy Naruto has always had a soft spot for Sakura. Even we and all the other girls were **hunting **Sasuke, he stuck by her. The reason he nearly died trying to bring back Sasuke was her."  
"Because he promised?"  
"Yeah, and the fact he knew she loved him, and he'd do anything to see her happy." Said Shikamaru preparing the rice.  
"Wow…that's solid. He'd rather see her with another guy?"  
"Yeah…that's Naruto for you."

Temari could now see why Gaara held him in such high regard.

"So she loves him back now?"  
"Seems so…"

The smell of Nara Yoshino's award winning tonkatsu had Temari's mouth watering and tummy growling, and because Shikamaru was so lazy, he made LOTS of it to avoid cooking for another night or two.  
He didn't want Temari in his kitchen either, so it would sate her snack needs for now too.

Temari knew her tonkatsu almost as well as Naruto knew his ramen:  
It was GOOD.

She also loved the fact Shikamaru had taken to eating at a small table in his lounge room, his excuse was 'the TV relaxes me while I eat.'

After dinner Shikamaru just dumped the dishes in his kitchen sink and shuffled back to the couch, he was tired.

So tired, that he fell asleep on the couch, so Temari simply went and got his bed quilts and they both slept on the couch.

Because Shikamaru's apartment was COLD.

Even more so than Naruto's.

**WELL here it is, I had MAJOR writers block so im sorry if it sucks this time…  
really, this is the bottom of the barrel! So I might have little tangents about other characters next time if I don't get any ideas or something…  
huzzah exams are over so I can update fairly quickly now**

**That is if anybody actually READS this**


	6. Chapter 6

Shikamaru awoke to the sounds of sizzling in his kitchen.  
_"mm…why am I on the couch?"  
_He sat up to see a much calmer Temari (compared to last time she tried to cook) humming in her pajamas whilst frying eggs and bacon again.  
Shikamaru hadn't found the 'urgent letter to the Kazekage' she had sent and received a reply to, although he was suspicious of how her cooking drastically improved.

"Um…Why does it look like Naruto?"  
"Because it's Gaara's recipe…he insisted I did it correctly…"  
(her mind going back to the complex and labeled diagram of the face of Naruto made up of eggs, bacon, sun-dried tomato and a whole assortment of things…)

"Recipe?"  
"Ah…ha ha yeah! I remembered it this morning and decided to try it!"  
_"Note to self, Temari: HIDE the recipe Gaara sent."_

Shikamaru started eating the Naruto's scrambled eggs hair.  
After the strange experience of eating an edible visage of his friends face (although the bacon whisker marks WERE tasty) he went to have his shower, unbeknownst to him Temari had decided she was going to have one too.

"Argh! Not again…shoo already!"  
"Now now, Shika-kun. I DID manage to replicate otōto-chan's special breakfast…"  
"Agh, just close the door then." Shikamaru said, with his eyes wandering south.

Temari closed the door and began applying soap to Shikamaru's back, They seemed to have a ritual of taking it in turns to wash each other now.  
"Is Gaara…you know?"  
"Huh?"  
"He…." Shikamaru made little circles in the air with his hands in front of him.  
"Is he what?" Temari had her head cocked slightly to the side in curiosity.  
"Um…does he…bat for your team?"  
Temari's eyes went wide and she howled with laughter and Shikamaru's nervousness at the subject.  
(Sigh) "Well does he?"  
After her laughter subsided Temari muttered whilst they washed each other's shoulders and arms; "Probably."

"Ergh!?" Shikamaru was taken off guard by her casual admittance.  
"Well, he has **hordes **of fan girls in Suna. A young, charismatic, caring Kazekage seems to be honey to the womenfolk there…"  
Shikamaru thinking back to Sasuke's days of having to take care when leaving his house, his 'fan club' was always on the prowl.

"And he's got this 'fan club' thing going, where the girls practically **HUNT **Gaara for sport when ever he takes a break and goes for a stroll through town."  
"Hmm…I can see what that'd be like…" Shikamaru thought back to the time Sasuke under estimated the tenacity of the dreaded 'fan club' and went to a **unisex **hot spring after training one day…

"It must be hard for Gaara, having his own Chunin's attempt to gang-rape him when ever he leaves his office. Kankuro loves it, I'm sure that perv has some how manipulated the fact he's the Kazekage's brother into getting some action."

Shikamaru had a mental image of Kankuro, Kakashi and Jiraiya laughing and playing poker with nudey-cards…Kakashi claiming the Ace of Spades had a higher value because the naked woman on it was more attractive than the one residing on the Ace of Hearts.

"But I don't think Gaara is gay."  
"Wha…" Shikamaru for once didn't under stand.

"He loves the attention, and he loves them chasing him, I guess it's because he finally has friends and 'love' He always responds to the letters they send him, like a big sisterly advice service or something...as well as the piles of marriage requests and date invitations."  
Shikamaru could see what Naruto meant when he said Gaara and himself were very similar.

"Although, theres a jonin a few months or so older than Gaara, who seems to communicate with him much...deeper, if you catch my drift?"  
Shikamaru, not having much experience just said; "Huh?"  
With a sigh Temari just said: "I think Gaara's got himself a girlfriend."  
"Oh."

"_At least the bit about acknowledgement and love, not the feminine characteristics, that's not very Naruto" _Shikamaru thought about the box of porno that Kiba found in Naruto's apartment, and the 'borrowing' of said magazines by Kiba.

After the shower, while Temari got dressed Shikamaru happened to find a note from the Kazekage himself hastily shoved under his drying frying pan;  
_"Recipe for…The Inspiring _Breakfast?" Shikamaru read Temari's note telling Gaara how she wanted to impress 'this guy I know'…Shikamaru was touched.  
His father, like Asuma was rarely wrong:  
" (with a deep sigh)…Son, even the most aggressive woman is tender to the man she loves."  
"Pff…she's got you whipped, Dad."

They set out to inspect the training grounds, and check-list which ones would be appropriate for the exams.  
On the way they got a surprise:  
Sakura was sitting with her back against a tree, clutching her blonde treasure like it was the most valuable and fragile thing in the world, and the sleeping Naruto using her as a teddy/pillow hybrid.

Shikamaru and Temari approached carefully, and quietly…  
But one of Sakura's emerald eyes slid open, although glazed with the effects of just waking up, that one eye said all that needed to be said:  
"If you guys go and tell anybody about this, I'll tell EVERYBODY about **that**."  
Her eye strayed down to the hands that Shikamaru and Temari had interlocked.

Shikamaru sweated, an angry Sakura was something he'd heard about from Naruto way too much.

Temari's eyes said (in the strange wordless language that only females can speak) "Deal."

And they walked off, with Temari saying "OOH! Shika-kun come see this!" and she sped off, initially pulling so hard Shikamaru was airborne for the first few meters that Temari ran.

With a sigh Sakura huddled closer to her treasure, and nodded off again.

Naruto's thumb somehow found its way to his mouth.

As much as Shikamaru didn't want to do it, he had to inspect The Forest of Death with Temari…

With a sigh: This forest is so troublesome."  
"Be quiet, you're a big girl now Shikamaru, so act like it."  
"Pff…what ever…your even more troublesome than this damn forest."  
"What was that, dear Shika-kun?"

"Ahaha….nothing my Temari-chan."

After a picnic on the roof of the central tower, they made their way out.  
Only to stumble upon another picnic:  
Kakashi was feeding Anko dango…  
"Ahahaha…Anko-chan my fingers are not Dango!" said Kakashi trying to gently pull his slightly chewed fingers from Anko's mouth.  
Temari and Shikamaru had enough of stumbling upon things they weren't supposed to for the day, so just kept moving.

After a quick stop at a tea house for a break (Temari seemed to agree with Shikamaru on his 'breaks every 3 hours policy) in a tea house, they made their way to the Hokage tower.

"SHIZUNE! Stop writing Iruka love letters and GET ME THAT REPORT!"  
"HAI!"  
Shikamaru and Temari had to wait a few minutes for the laughter to subside.  
After knocking came the familiar bellow of Tsunade telling them they may enter.

After delivering the reports, Jiraiya suddenly swung through the window.  
Tsunade saw his grim expression and ordered everybody out, even Shizune.  
"What do you think that was about?" Asked Shizune.

Naruto met Shikamaru and Temari at Ichiraku's for dinner, Oddly enough Sakura showed up too.  
"Heh heh, Hi Naruto-kun! I was just in the area and I felt like ramen!"  
_"Yeah, __**sure**__ you did…" _thought Temari.

"_For such a bright girl, Sakura can be a terrible liar sometimes…" _Shikamaru agreed with Temari.

Sakura sat down with a grin whilst Naruto insisted he buy her the shrimp ramen she always ordered.

_**"CHA!!! OUR NARUTO-KUN IS SUCH A GENTLEMAN!" **_Inner Sakura bellowed…more or less what Sakura thought too.

Naruto downed 5 more bowls in the time it took Sakura to eat one, he **is **a growing boy after all...

After a long chat with the pair, Temari and Shikamaru thought it best to leave them alone, so both wearing a knowing smirk, they left.

It was business as usual at Shikamaru's place:  
TV  
Bath  
Bed (although a much more friendly bed time now... Shikamaru and Temari, that's NAUGHTY! Fingers and mouths were not made for THAT.)

But seeing as though the next day was Temari's day of rest before the journey to Suna, getting up wasn't a priority for the next day.

**Only 2 more to go! YESSS this is getting really hard to come up with ideas…  
I know whats going on in the last chapter but im LOST for the next chapter so it'll be a few days while I come up with ideas**

**Better yet somebody might help…**

oh BTW the mentioned parings are just ones I like, sorry for all those who DON'T like naruXsaku  
but come on guys!  
Naruto deserves Sakura more than Sasuke or….gaara?

at least that's my opinion.


	7. Chapter 7

Shikamaru and Temari woke up later that morning, and they actually got up even later.  
The shower was business as usual.

Before breakfast Shikamaru had to feed his 'under water friends' in the lounge room (it had more or less become a TV room now, thanks to Temari.) which were a group of small, brightly colored fish.  
Temari poked her head around the corner:  
"Eh? Why does a crybaby like you have fish?"  
"Ugh…they're the only pet I could think of that wouldn't be bothersome."  
"Dogs aren't that much work."  
Shikamaru thought to Kiba and Akamaru, and their 'aerial tagging' exercises.

"Dogs are too troublesome."

"Uh-huh. What're you making this morning, lady-boy?"  
Shikamaru detested when she made fun of his mannerisms.  
"Nothing for you, lady-food wouldn't suit a robust diet such as yours."  
_"Touché." _ Thought Temari, she also hated it when her feminism was in question.

In a girly voice she said; "Would big stwong Shika-kun make widdle Tema-chan some bwekkies?" Somehow her usually cunning eyes became **really **big and **really **sparkly.

He looked down at her smiling face, by now she'd wrapped herself around his waist and was looking up at him.  
Running his hand down his face, then angrily rolling his eyes to the ceiling Shikamaru agreed, to which Temari let out a high pitched 'YAY!' and pumped her fist in the air in victory.

Shikaku would have raised an eyebrow, how ironic that Shikamaru is the one getting whipped…

Shikamaru made with the food, after a slow eat he threw the dishes in the sink and they left.

All Temari had to do for the day was return all the work she had done to Tsunade;

On the way they met a strange sight:

Shizune and Iruka sitting on a bench, laughing holding hands.  
"Is that guy a relative of yours?"  
"Huh?"  
"Just the pine-apple look, it's just like yours…" Temari trailed off.

They couldn't see what the pair found so funny so they left, they didn't realize they were holding hands…  
Temari all of a sudden decided it was time to leave.

After an hour or two of watching clouds, Shikamaru realized they were going to be late for the lunch he organized.

Jumping and bouncing across the roof tops they arrived at Ichiraku of all places.

"WHAT'S the deal with you people and RAMEN!?"  
"Ask Naruto."

"Oh, I will Nara, I will." She knew she wouldn't, it was best not to delve into these things.

They sat down at the bar, Naruto, and Sakura were there (as usual).

"Shikamaru! Hi!"  
"Hello Naruto!"

They ate and chatted for an hour or so, Temari noticing Sakura was sitting very close to Naruto, so Temari began sitting closer to Shikamaru.  
Sakura noticed the friendly contest, and put her arm around Naruto with a smirk.

Temari's eyes narrowed and looking Sakura in the eye she put both arms around Shikamaru's waist and rested her head on him.

Shikamaru looked at Naruto as Sakura was trying to beat Temari's PDA.  
Naruto looked at Shikamaru.

Shikamaru looked at Naruto.

"_WHAT THE HELL ARE THEY DOING!?" _they thought in unison.

They both just looked at each other a little longer in disbelief and went back to their ramen.

Now the competition was really on, it was Temari's turn again, so she moved a hand onto Shikamaru's thigh.

Sakura hard to think fast of how to top this, so she sat on Naruto's lap and fed him.  
"Huh? Sakura-chan? I thought that was a one-time only thing!"

Sakura just giggled and continued to feed him.

Temari was **mad**. She was NOT going to lose to Sakura.

She looked Shikamaru over, she put her hand **deep** inside his pocket and said:  
"Let's go."  
Sakura was not happy, it was clear what Temari was implying what they were leaving to do.  
She pouted on Naruto's lap.  
"Sakura-chan? Are you alright? Is there anything I can do?"  
Upon hearing Naruto's concern she brightened up immensely.  
"Let's go for a walk!"

With a chuckle Naruto left the money for all their meals and his usual generous tip.

Shikamaru and Temari went to see a movie, as embarrassing as it was, Temari wanted to see the Icha Icha Movie…Shikamaru was willing to wager a lot of money that Kakashi had seen it at least 3 times.

They sat in as the lights were going down, and the movie was starting.

In a short description: the film was smutty.

Real smutty.

It seemed to be some old perverts fantasy's on the big screen.  
_"What kind of sleaze wrote this?" _Shikamaru thought.

Else where in the world, an old pervert was peeping in a ladies bath house.  
"Ah…ah…ah-CHOO!" Jiraiya sneezed.  
"What was that? Is some one there?"  
"Oh Sh#t." Jiraiya knew he was dead.  
"PERVERT!!!" The women screamed at him.

Jiraiya was running for his **life.**

Temari thought the film was quite good, Shikamaru kept looking at the ceiling all through out it though, especially when Temari was getting 'troublesome ideas' from the movie.

She wouldn't keep her hands or lips to herself…

But Shikamaru didn't mind. 

When they got back to Shikamaru's apartment, there was a note from his parents:  
_Shikamaru,  
Bring Temari-san and yourself over at 8:00pm sharp, to wish Temari farewell and see her off with a special dinner.  
Oh, we invited some of your friends too.  
- Mummy and Dad._

Temari raised an eyebrow at the pink piece of paper, and erupted with laughter at who wrote it.

"That was very thoughtful of **mummy**, wasn't it?"  
"Argh…be quiet you troublesome woman."  
"Oooh, maybe it was Dad's idea and **mummy** just wrote the note?"

Shikamaru sighed angrily and glanced up at the sky, a vein was visible on his forehead.

It was obviously a formal thing, so Shikamaru wore his black suit that he had for such occasions; it fitted his body perfectly, his pristine white shirt fitted him like a glove, the high collar arching up over the suits jacket, his red tie with a large black Konoha leaf symbol roughly in its middle.  
Temari wore a dashing purple formal Kimono, with a large red sash tied around her middle, and low geta.

They arrived at Shikamaru's parent's house, to find they had the few guests in the dining hall, the largest room of the house, all of the rookie 9 that weren't on missions were present;  
Hinata and Neji were in the formal robes of the Hyuuga,  
Tenten was also in a dashing Tuxedo (No one could figure out why, but every formal event Tenten wore a suit.)  
Ino in a tight-fitting light green kimono was talking to Naruto, who was dressed in a black suit with orange fittings and tie, Naruto was happily talking to Ino, standing next to a glaring Sakura in a red dress, she **was **the jealous-type after all…  
Chouji arrived a few minutes after Shikamaru and Temari did, he was in a black suit with a crimson shirt and black tie, the black tie had a red Konoha symbol on it, as Shikamaru lent him the tie once, and insisted he keep it, when Chouji asked why Shikamaru simply said they were a pair, they'd been together a while and were going to be a pair for a lot longer.

Chouji was touched at his deep gesture of friendship that day.

The ties apparently were a family heirloom of sorts.

Shikamaru's parents spared no expense on the night, hiring 2 chefs and 2 waiters, the dishes that they ate and talked over were divine, but then, the chefs **were** relatives, so what could you expect?

After the dinner, the waiters and chefs packed up their things and went, and the group of friends had a quiet talk, with Asuma and Kurenai making an appearance after the dinner, as they had come from a date themselves.

Kakashi didn't show up, Naruto and Sakura said he wouldn't.  
_"Those damn pervert books he reads, that man is __**obsessed**__!!" _Naruto and Sakura thought in unison.

After a fairly long time the guests started leaving, Shikamaru deeply thanking his parents for their generous favor, They smiled warmly and said:  
"Shikamaru, we can see you really like this girl, and I think Temari would make a wonderful daughter in-law!" Yoshino tended to get ahead of herself sometimes…

Shikaku embraced his wife and said to his son:  
"Shikamaru, I'd like to say I, no, **we** are proud of you son, you've met a fine young lady, we hope the best for you two, and let us know when the wedding is, and use condoms! You don't want to cause your lover over there any trouble."  
"DAD!"  
"What? She is, isn't she?"  
"Gah…" Shikamaru sighed. Shikaku kind of missed the point…  
"What they mean, I think, is that they're proud of you, and this is getting you out of the tight spot of not seeing Temari off, I think she would have been fairly disappointed if you didn't do anything…"  
Shikamaru thought to the 'troublesome book' Naruto gave him a few years ago, it was entitled 'A Woman's Buttons, and How to Push Them'.  
He **was **going to do something special…  
but this was nice.

After a while (Asuma and Shikaku were drinking/smoking buddies, so they took awhile, but Kurenai eventually dragged Asuma home) they had all left, and Shikamaru's parents went to bed. 

Konoha was ablaze with bright neon signs at night, at least in the market area which they went through in order to reach Shikamaru's apartment block.

When they went up and entered his apartment, he didn't turn the lights on.  
"What the hell, Nara? Turn the lights on you retard!"  
"Argh, just wait a minute."

He walked down the hallway, Temari stood in the living room for what seemed an eternity. Finally he came back with a small candle, she noticed he'd taken off his tie and jacket, and his shirt was open.

He took her hand:  
"Follow me." He said with a grin.  
Temari had no idea what to expect.

He led her into a candle lit bathroom. 

He slowly undressed her, and then carefully laid her in the hot bath, that had been scented with Desert Rose, her favorite.

He nimbly got in and started washing and massing her.

"_I guess that troublesome book was useful…" _He thought with a grin.

He then gently dried her, and left the new lingerie he bought for her (with the help of Sakura and Ino, damn those two didn't have to be so troublesome about it… he thought back to the pair constantly telling the clerk they getting them for Shikamaru to wear).

When they were in bed, he blew out the candles and asked when she had to go the next day, she mumbled:  
"Around noon or so…" with a yawn she wriggled closer into Shikamaru's embrace.

He fell asleep soon as well, after she had, of course.

**CRAPS! I was STUMPED by this chapter! I had no idea! So what you see here is pretty much luck and off the top of my head….**

**1 more chapter to go**

**I don't own Naruto or any characters, so don't sue me?**

**O yeah, I'd also like the thank everybody who's reviewed, read, or even enjoyed this story,  
I hope it doesn't suck too much for a first one**


	8. Chapter 8

Temari awoke early, for she had to leave for Suna at lunch time.  
She rolled over and was surprised to see that Shikamaru was out of bed.  
She went into the kitchen to see him doing the dishes, and two breakfasts on the table, just a simple rice, fish and soup thing.

After their breakfast it was time for their shower.

When dressed Temari decided they should enjoy one last cloud watching before she left.

On the way, they noticed Tsunade sitting at a bench with her arm around some one.  
Shikamaru was shocked when he realized the man was none other than Jiraiya.

Tsunade rested her head on his shoulder.

Shikamaru was surprised; he thought Tsunade held great annoyance for the likes of Jiraiya, but Sakura mentioning him always jumping through the window at odd times of day and Tsunade and Jiraiya leaving shortly afterwards, it all seemed obvious to him now when faced with the pair.

And probably the fact Naruto honestly thought of them as his grandparents, both of them, probably brought them closer together as well 

Shikamaru had heard things from Sakura, and he deduced on his own the real reason Tsunade despised it when Jiraiya went peeping was the jealousy and the hurt, Shikamaru figured she must've felt betrayed. All for those damn books…

Shikamaru laid down on his hill, with Temari by his side, he thought about the past week or so that Temari had stayed with him.

He really wished she didn't have to go.

After a quiet few hours on the hill she decided she needed to leave.

With a huff Shikamaru followed her back to the apartment.

Was it his apartment, or theirs now?

She made him carry her bag to the gates, much to his displeasure; it was probably going to finish the job of crippling him this time.

"I left you a snack incase you got hungry today."  
"Did you wear the apron when you made it?" She asked with a snigger.

Shikamaru rolled his eyes "what ever…"

She looked at him, as though she wanted to say something, the look of unease left her and she assumed her mischievous grin: "Next time, crybaby."  
With a sigh Shikamaru simply muttered "Bye, you troublesome woman." He wore his grin after speaking.

Temari turned on her heel and scooped up the cumbersome bag in one swift motion, and set off for Suna.

Shikamaru, hands in pockets shuffled off to the Mongolian BBQ place to meet Chouji.

Temari felt bad for not being able to tell Shikamaru how she felt about him.  
She decided to investigate the 'snack' he packed her.

She was surprised to find an entire bento box with a small letter attached to it:

_Troublesome Woman:  
Let me know next time your coming to Konoha, I guess you aren't as much of a bother as I thought you'd be, maybe next time you can actually tell me how you feel instead of me hearing you say it in your sleep.  
Enjoy your lunch._

_P.S: you aren't too tough for bento boxes are you? Or maybe lunch in general?_

Temari's grip on the box tightened.

That **bastard **Nara…

After eating her lunch she picked up her bag and started walking again, her thoughts turning to Gaara and how he was going with Matsuri.

She thought of Shikamaru too…

Unfortunately, Temari had no idea of the Konoha-nin rushing towards her bringing devastating news about her brothers.

**Well it's finished!**

**Yeah so what if the ending was half assed?  
thanks to all who read, reviewed and enjoyed  
(sorry to end it like that…it just seemed right though)**

(Oh and before I forget Matsuri was some Jonin temari spoke to in Shippuden episode 16 or so…she seemed so concerned about Gaara i decided to pair em up for this story)


End file.
